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As it was, Dion simply looked on and said nothing as Wang berated iPolitics reporter Amanda Connolly for asking a perfectly reasonable question (agreed to with journalists from other media outlets present) about China’s atrocious human rights record — specifically the disappearance of several Hong Kong booksellers, and the arrest and detention of Canadian Kevin Garratt on espionage charges. His wife Judy was also arrested, but later released.

For the record, here is exactly what Connolly asked: “There are no shortage of concerns about China’s treatment of human rights advocates, such as the Hong Kong booksellers, and its detention of the Garratts, not to mention the destabilizing effects of its territorial ambitions in the South China Sea. Given these concerns, why is Canada pursuing closer ties with China, how do you plan to use that relationship to improve human rights and security in the region, and did you specifically raise the case of the Garratts during your talks?”

Wang told Connolly her question was full of prejudice and arrogance and was “unacceptable.”

At this point, the honourable thing for Dion to do would have been to remind Wang that Canada is a democracy in which journalists have the right to ask whatever they damn well please.